


The Seventh Sister

by lkhalloway



Series: Secrets of Stars [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Developing Friendships, Friendship, Gen, High School, Human, New England, Sister-Sister Relationship, Sisters, Teenagers, Witch Hunters, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:01:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25627111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lkhalloway/pseuds/lkhalloway
Summary: After the death of her mother, Diana Enden moves with her older sister to a new town, Montaque. Diana is decided to move on with her life and find a new way to live without her mother, but after meeting the Yles sisters, she needs to accept more than she could ever imagine.
Series: Secrets of Stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1857673





	The Seventh Sister

**July 30, 2015**

**Montaque, Rhode Island**

A dreadful scream interrupted Eileen’s peaceful sleep. Even if she forgot the pretty dream the moment she has woken up, the feeling of peace and harmony was still flowing through her mind and body. She was half-asleep, but she knew well that no one is going to scream that early in the morning for nothing. She quickly made her way to the hallway that was leading to every room in the mansion, including the bedrooms of all of the six sisters, though the two oldest sisters no longer lived with them.

“Who was that? Who just screamed?” Eileen’s unique, topaz blue eyes followed the tired voice of her younger sister, Fallon. The youngest of them all was always tired. Eileen wondered what was keeping her up at night that she had to wake up around noon every day of the summer holidays.

Before Eileen could reply, the door leading to their father’s room has opened. There stood their older sister with a frightened expression on her milky white face. Her hands were shaking and terror was obvious in her eyes. Eileen loved looking into them when she was younger. She was fascinated by the inconsistent color, one minute they were green, then they changed into sapphires.

“Claire?” Fallon whispered. Her tall, slim figure moved toward her sister. She opened her arms and Claire buried her face in Fallon’s shoulder. Eileen also moved, though her pace was slow. She got scared of the sight of her dearest sister crying. Tears were falling out of Claire’s hazel eyes.

Eileen put her hand on Claire’s small head. “What has happened?” Her voice didn’t want to go out. Eileen was too scared to know. She hated this feeling. She wasn’t exposed to it that often. Usually, she knew if something bad is going to happen beforehand. “Is something wrong?” Claire nodded. She leaned closer to Fallon and continued crying. Eileen understood that Fallon was the best teddy bear and the greatest at handling emotions, but she still needed to know. She needed to know what put her sister in such distress. “Can you tell us what happened?” She only got another nod. Eileen wasn’t a patient person, especially when it came to situations like these. “Shall I call someone? Claire?”

Fallon shook her head and patted her older sister on back, humming a lullaby to her ears. She then turned her head to Eileen. “Call Alia and Britt,” she just said. She put her head on top of Claire’s and murmured. “And get Laney. Wherever she is.”

Eileen didn’t protest, didn’t utter any other word, and abruptly made her way back to her room to get her phone. She tried to stay calm. She really tried, but all the negative energy making itself home in their house was also affecting her. She didn’t need to be Empath to know that only the worse was behind their father’s bedroom door. She dialed their two oldest sisters – Aaliyah and Brittany. Both of them were adults already. They had life, they had careers and they had other people to worry about. Eileen is going to be like that one day; hopefully, after she finishes high school and college. Eileen informed her sisters only about Claire’s fright; they understood. What else was expected from the eldest, right?

Then came the hardest task. Finding Delaney. Laney – as referred to by everyone, expect of Eileen – was also an adult, but she lived a bit free life. No one could ever find her if she didn’t wish to be found. She was very persuasive when it came to telling others to leave her alone. Delaney was just a child when she lost her mother and it obviously reflected on her. Her rebel phase sadly didn’t go away even when she entered college – that was a huge problem and Delaney got kicked out. Eileen knew for sure that she doesn’t want to grow up to be like Delaney.

Eileen searched around the mansion after she found out that Delaney wasn’t in her room as any other night. She tried to call her many times, but it always sent her into the voicemail. Eileen left some very nasty messages for her.

She gave up and joined Fallon and Claire in the dining room. Claire was much calmer than before, her hands stopped shaking and her poker face was resting on her face. Her eyes stayed dull. Fallon looked up the moment Eileen entered the room. Fallon nodded after a moment and went back to staring into nothing. Their youngest had this extraordinary gift; not many people – those who were like them – had it. Only one look was enough for Fallon to understand one's emotions, feelings, and thoughts. But it had its downsides; though Fallon understands the emotions of others, she struggles with her own.

They didn’t have to wait long for Aaliyah and Brittany to show up. They snuck out of the shadows of the dining room in perfect condition, no arms lost. Aaliyah was panting a bit, which looked quite hilarious because of her bunny patterned pajamas. She had her golden-brown hair tied up in a high ponytail with a rainbow scrunchie. Next to her stood a younger version of herself, Brittany. Apart from Aaliyah, Britt had decided to dress up in her thousand-dollar silver dress as if she was rushing to the red carpet. Brittany was an actress, but she only played in the local theater – she still waited for some great offer from Hollywood. Aaliyah and Brittany were very similar; they wore the same expression, their face was a copy of one another – they could pass for twins. The only thing that differentiates them was Brittany’s short honey blonde hair and egregious clothing choices.

“We’re here,” Brittany announced with a smug face, but upon seeing the expressionless face of her younger sister, she wiped the smile off.

Aaliyah also looked worried, but she looked like that every time she visited them in the mansion. “So… What is going on here?”

“Not yet,” Claire let out. “Delaney. We have to wait for Delaney.”

“Well, the little brat isn’t here, Clary,” Brittany scoffed. “Like always.”

Eileen rubbed her temples. “I tried calling her, but she didn’t answer. It’s all voicemail.”

“Like I said. Brat.”

Aaliyah sighed. “I could go look for her.”

“There is _no_ time,” Claire whispered. A defeated cry echoed through the dining room. “No time!” she shouted, startling her sisters.

“Okay, okay. Clary, calm down.” Aaliyah hugged her sister, wooing her. Everyone was taken aback by Claire’s breakdown and yelling. The third oldest rarely yelled, rarely got angry or frustrated. This was new for them.

“Delaney. Delaney. Delaney.” Claire kept whispering her sister’s name. She was chanting. Eileen soon realized what she was trying to do. She read about it one of their family books.

“Guys,” Eileen called out. “I think Claire is trying to reach out Delaney.”

“How?” Fallon asked. “By chanting her name like a lunatic?”

“It’s magic, Fallon,” Eileen replied as if the answer was _so_ obvious. And it was.

Claire’s hazel eyes soon changed into shining sapphires – like whenever she used her powers. She was in a trance as if she was in another place; a place none of them could describe. She kept repeating Delaney’s name as they usually did with spells. After minutes, she stopped and her eyes regained its brown and green color. She looked a bit dead for seconds before exaggeratedly nodding.

“She found her,” Eileen said only. “She reached her.” Claire did something no one of them was able to do with normal technology. After all, magic was above all.

Claire breathed out before standing up. She left the room without saying any word. Eileen looked at the rest of her sisters. They couldn’t get anything out of Claire. They had nothing left than to follow her. Eileen was the first to follow Claire. She quickly noticed where she was trailing. Her steps were loud, telling them to go after her. Eileen’s sisters also decided to follow Claire on her little journey.

Eileen noticed that her sister was still in that strange trance. She might have been like that since the start - since she screamed and then walked out of their dad’s bedroom. Eileen had a feeling that she knew what that truly meant. Something bad happened to their father. Eileen tried not to think about any possibilities, but the way Claire was reacting… It was like a nightmare.

Claire reached Delaney’s room. She stood there for a minute before opening the red-painted door leading to Delaney’s little realm. She stepped inside, no emotions visible on her pretty face. Eileen didn’t wait and stepped into Delaney’s room too. She was surprised by what she has seen there. How could she not notice it when she was searching for her?

On the ground, right next to Delaney’s massive bed were withered rose petals forming a circle. Eileen couldn’t exactly recall what for are roses used, but upon seeing the small figure of her older sister, Delaney, in the circle, she remembered a short paragraph from their books: _Roses are useful when it comes to transport. If rose petals dry-up, they can take a witch away in the form of a circle._ That was the secret to Delaney’s nighttime walks and late visits to nowhere.

Eileen prepared herself to hear yelling and shouting, but none came. Perhaps everyone was tired and raring to finally know what Claire discovered – what put Claire in that strange trance-like state.

Delaney stepped outside the transport circle and looked worriedly at Claire. “What is happening here?”

No one answered, not even Claire. The third oldest just grabbed Delaney’s tanned hand and led her out of her room. Claire didn’t say anything, but everyone followed her immediately. They wanted this endless morning to end. Claire was leading them back to their father’s bedroom where everything started – Claire’s scream that had woken up everyone living in the mansion. Claire let go of Delaney’s hand and lightly pushed the bedroom door (they were nothing special compared to the sisters’).

Everyone entered the dark bedroom. Claire’s hand lit up, becoming their only light in the room. Claire was intensely staring at her hand until the light grew bigger, making everything visible. That was Claire’s gift – a light. 

Eileen’s eyes shifted onto the bed pushed into one of many corners. On the bed laid their father. The light provided clear sight on the body – a body that didn’t move, that didn’t breathe. Eileen’s eyes filled with tears and even if she has opened her mouth, no sound came out. She wanted to scream, just like Claire did.

_No, no, no. This can’t be happening. None of this is real. This is just a nightmare. Just a stupid dream. Stupid…_

Eileen was telling herself nonsense. She was trying to convince herself that she’s dreaming, but when she looked at her fingers, she could see no extra one. It was real.

Claire left the light on, though her facial expression finally changed. She took off the emotionless mask, her eyebrows furrowed and tears appeared in her dark eyes. It was as if she snapped out of the trance and regained control over herself again.

The six sisters stood tall in their father’s chamber for some minutes until the oldest, Aaliyah, sighed and stepped closer. She took Claire’s lighted hand to guide her eyes as she was searching for any vital signs. Aaliyah shook head quickly, explaining to her sisters that she has no idea what could happen. But Aaliyah, the bravest of them all, said it out loud for the first. “He’s dead.”

Eileen thought of Aaliyah as their lion queen – courageous, beautiful, and strong-willed. But then again, Aaliyah already had gone through this many times, not only when their mother died. After all, she worked at Montaque’s Police Department and she was great at her job.

Fallon let out a shaken breath. “H-how? How did he…” She couldn’t say it yet. Eileen couldn’t say it either. She didn’t want to believe it. It was foolish to think this way.

Aaliyah shrugged. “I do not know that yet.” She walked over to Fallon and Eileen – the two youngest sisters. She hugged them tightly. Though Fallon returned her sister’s hug, Eileen couldn’t. She just wasn’t ready to believe that she lost another person that was close to her. Aaliyah glanced at her, her topaz blue eyes shining – they were wet. Even Aaliyah had shed a tear. Looking into Eileen’s identical eyes, she whispered: “We’ll be okay, El.” Did Aaliyah believe her words? Because Eileen didn’t. She refused to believe them.

Brittany slowly wiped her eyes. “I will call the police,” she announced. “And the ambulance.” Her breath hitched. “Uh, you know what I mean.” Like Aaliyah, Brittany was good at hiding her emotions. Eileen wanted to know their deepest feelings for once.

Brittany left the dark room. Fallon followed shortly after. Her sadden face stiffened as if the grief she was feeling was exchanged with utter hatred and repugnance. Her usual perfect honey blonde hair was messy, her light dark skin seemed pale in Claire’s light and color disappeared from her otherwise dark pink lips. She looked different; Eileen has never seen her younger sister in such a state. She was too young to know such sorrow.

Then Eileen remembered what the day was. How could she forget? Yesterday… They have been planning this day whole yesterday – Claire and her. Whatever happened to their father, did it have to happen on _this_ day? Eileen’s heart ached.

Aaliyah lightly touched Eileen’s back. The dark-haired girl immediately straightened her posture. She turned her head toward her oldest sister. Aaliyah’s tired face was forcing a sad smile on. Her right arm was around Claire’s shoulders – the third oldest was silently crying – and with her left hand she was nudging Eileen to move, to leave the room until the people from the law department get here. Eileen didn’t ache for to stay with her dad’s _dead_ body much longer.

“Laney,” Aaliyah breathed out, “we’re leaving.”

Eileen’s dark blue eyes followed Aaliyah’s and they fell on the small figure of the remaining blonde sister in the room. Delaney was standing by their father’s office desk. She was studying something. She picked that _something_ with her shaky hands. She then turned to us. There was worry written in her blue eyes.

“Laney? What is that?” Aaliyah asked, eyes narrowed at the small, thin thing in Delaney’s tanned hands.

“I’m not sure,” she let out, tongue clicking. “But I think… I-I think it’s… a suicide note?” she said, sounding unsure.

“What?!” Claire jerked out of Aaliyah’s arm and the light in her hand faded.

─

They were back in the dining room, sitting together by the long table. In the front, Aaliyah was looking closely at the letter that Delaney found. A suicide note, she said. Why did none of them want to believe that? Why would their _dearest_ dad throw away his life? Just... why?

Eileen was sitting right beside her oldest sister, as usual. Beside her was Fallon, she was back to trembling and shaking, tears were falling from her topaz blue eyes and she was biting her lips until they bled with dark red color. The world was too cruel when they gave Fallon her gift. _She must be_ so _overwhelmed_. Brittany was holding Fallon's hand, but no sadness was found on her face, in her eyes. Was she acting right now? Was she playing pretend? Was her heart also in that unbearable pain like Fallon's was? What was on her mind? Eileen wanted to know, she wanted to understand for once. How can someone sit so quietly in a moment like this? Was her heart crying the same as Fallon's eyes were?

Across Eileen, at Aaliyah’s right hand was lazily sitting Delaney. She was supporting her chin with her left hand as her dark eyes scanned the letter in Aaliyah’s hand. There were dry traces of tears on her tanned face which amused Eileen, but then again… Delaney was kind of the closest to their father. Next to Delaney was Claire, looking hurt and sad. Surprisingly, she wasn’t crying anymore. Instead, she just stared onto the table, daydreaming. Eileen also wanted to know what was going through her mind right now. After all, she was the one that found him and now… Delaney thinks that he committed suicide.

But how did Eileen feel? She didn’t know. She never felt the emotions the way her sisters did, like Fallon for example. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. She understood the words she would use to describe the emotions of others, but yet she couldn’t find the words to depict her own feelings. She… she felt horrible, maybe. Her father died, so… Yes, yes. She felt sad and horrible. Yet, her heart didn’t ache as much as it should. She felt terrible because today was Fallon’s fifteenth birthday. They were supposed to celebrate her life, not cry for the loss of another’s life.

“Should we wait for the police?” Brittany asked. Her eyes shifted from Fallon’s teary face to the scrunched nose of their eldest. “I mean… If it were suicide…”

“I’m police…” Aaliyah whispered before tracing her fingertips over the envelope. “I think we should open it.”

Delaney scoffed. “Damn yes, we should.”

“But Aaliyah,” Brittany protested. “Even if you _are_ part of our police department, this case… They wouldn’t give it to you, ya know?”

Aaliyah silenced her with one look – her eyes were dangerously frightening. “Do I look like I care, Britt?”

“You should care…” Brittany muttered. She probably hoped that Aaliyah didn’t hear that. “This is your career, we’re talking ‘bout.”

Eileen did agree with both. She didn’t quite know if it would somehow affect Aaliyah’s career, but if yes, it could destroy Aaliyah. Then, Eileen also wanted to know what was inside the envelope, what was written in the letter. Everyone wanted to know.

“Just open it, Al,” Delaney sighed. Eileen noticed how nervous she get the more they waited for Aaliyah to make her decision. Why would Delaney think that their father committed suicide? It was just a letter. Right?

Eileen’s eagle eyes suddenly sought something. “Wait.” Her hand stopped Aaliyah from opening the envelope. Her sisters looked at her, questioning her actions. “There’s something written on it, on the back.” Eileen thought that it might be just a speck, but then she got the weird feeling – her powers were calling out to her. “I don’t feel good about it,” she added. That said had everyone tense up.

Aaliyah turned the envelope over and narrowed her eyes at the black ink. How did none of them notice it sooner? “ _To my dearest daughters_ ,” Aaliyah read and gulped right after. Eileen took Fallon’s other hand. Her already snow-white face paled. The envelope was finally opened. Aaliyah took out a folded white paper with ink marks on it. A letter. A letter to them _all_. Aaliyah took a deep breath before unfolding the letter and reading it out loud. “ _My dearest, Aaliyah, Brittany, Claire, Delaney, Eileen, and Fallon. If you’re reading this, that means my end had come. I do not want to worry you with my thoughts. I would never do anything that could possibly hurt you. I hope you know that, my dearest. But everything good must come to an end_.” Aaliyah shivered as her blue eyes trailed on the rest of the letter. Delaney nudged her, forcing her to continue reading. “ _I was in a bad place for a while. A bad place for a witch. I did horrible things that I regret deeply. Every power has its price. Therefore, me being gone means that the bad got me – my own magic got me. I had a lot of things to tell you. You’re still young to understand most of it, but I had wanted to tell you. Trust me with that. I hope that my death will also become a warning for all of you. Never, under any circumstances call upon the darkness. You will be in debt that only your life will be able to pay for it. I’m sorry for everything_.” Tears filled Aaliyah’s eyes. She was holding the letter tightly, almost destroying it with her raw strength. “ _With me gone, there might be enemies coming after you. Remember. You’re family. You have the Power of Six. Use it well. I also have something to confess. There’s something I have been searching for. A long time ago, I did something bad. I was a bad man, a bad husband, and a bad father. Fifteen years ago, I spent a night with a woman. I do not know who, though. I wished to find her again. For the sake of my family. That woman disappeared with my own child. I want you, my dearest, to find the child. Find the seventh Yles child of mine. Protect it with your power. Protect it from The Order. With that, I’m saying goodbye. I love you. Dad – Adam Yles. PS: Burn this. Don’t let anyone know about these words._ That’s all.”

Eileen almost forgot to breathe, but when she remembered that she had to keep taking the air, she was suddenly aware of her own breathing, making her even more anxious. None of them dared to say anything.

It wasn’t a suicide. At least something was clear from that letter. But… The words written there were confusing. Eileen’s head couldn’t comprehend it. She couldn’t understand most of it. Magic killed her father, dark magic. And the last part… What did he mean by that? Why did none of them know about it? Her head was spinning and her sight got blurry – her head was in pain, thousands of knives were piercing themselves a way through her skull.

“A child?” Delaney was the first to cut the silence. Her rough voice echoed through Eileen’s head and left a painful mark. “What the holy _hell_ does that mean?”

Aaliyah bit her lips before raising her right hand. Concentrating for a while, Aaliyah’s finger lit up with a fire. “I don’t know, but we need to get rid of the evidence. Since it’s not a suicide note…” Aaliyah’s smooth voice was faint. She put her lit up finger to the letter and quietly watched as the letter burned bright orange before turning into ash, but even that eventually disappeared, completely erasing any evidence that the letter ever existed.

Claire sighed and traced her finger through her auburn hair. “We should do what our dad had asked us.”

“What exactly you have in mind?” Delaney asked, snickering.

“Let’s find the child. Let’s find it and protect it.” Claire’s eyes were no longer wet and teary. In front of them sit a confident woman with a goal in her mind. Eileen liked her. Eileen liked this sister a lot.

─

It was late in the afternoon when the Yles sisters were finally left alone. Their father’s body was no longer in their presence. Their house was empty of one person. They were sitting in a circle in their attic where no sunlight came – a light was provided by six candles, forming a perfect copy of their own circle. In the middle of their circle was a map of New England, a crucial object for the spell they were about to perform.

The eldest sister, Aaliyah, was holding a chain with a crystal pendant – a dalmatian stone, it was meaningful when it came to family, a perfect match for their spell. A Finding Spell or Location Spell – the only way to find their seventh sibling. Aaliyah dumped the pendant in a small bowl with their own blood – six drops of Yles blood representing each of them.

Eileen was excited. She didn’t have many opportunities to perform spells on this level when it required the power of all six sisters. She was beyond happy to help her sisters with casting the spell. Even if her only part was to hold still and keep the circle formed. The circle was drawing her energy, her power, but it wasn’t like Aaliyah’s part. The eldest of them – the first sister was the most important piece. She was the one to call upon their magic, their power. Without her, they wouldn’t be able to perform it the right way.

The candlelight illuminated Aaliyah’s topaz blue eyes. They seemed more enchanting than usual. It was fairytale-like. Just looking at her made Eileen tingle. She emitted power and leadership – no wonder her gemstone hanging around her neck was sunstone. All of the six sisters had their own gemstone. The gemstones reflected their energy and personality as witches and living beings. The Yles family was known for having various powerful witches wielding the sunstone. Eileen’s gemstone was blue goldstone, reflecting her gift and usual optimism.

Aaliyah scanned their faces before sighing. “Let’s start,” she announced and tightly held the chain with the dalmatian stone in her right hand. The pendant was bouncing over the map, waiting for some energy. “Focus with me.”

Eileen’s eyes followed the moves of the pendant. She started releasing her energy – it got trapped in their circle and the air around them got thick. It was enormous. Eileen took a liking to that feeling.

“I call upon the Power of Six to help us find our lost family. Let our blood fall on the family that was hidden from us.” Aaliyah’s voice was steady but rough. It was the voice of an angel.

With that said, the blood that was on the dalmatian stone fell on the map. Eileen’s breath hitched, but she couldn’t do anything more than focus on the pendant and release her energy. It had to be done right, otherwise… they won’t find their father’s child. The energy flowing around them in the circle was _astonishing_. If Eileen had more time, she would be able to distinguish everyone’s energy and what it was made of – she could easily tell how different they were in terms of powers. The candlelight around them went out.

The spell was done. Eileen stopped releasing her energy, just like her sisters. Without the candlelight, the attic was dark and scary. Eileen shivered from the sudden cold.

Aaliyah was the first one to move out of her position. She took the chain with the dalmatian stone and carefully put it down next to New England’s map. “It’s done,” she said. “Clary, sweetheart… Can you please?” Aaliyah didn’t have to say more, Claire understood her and the attic was suddenly brightened by her gift. Eileen could finally see her sisters’ faces; they were all worried and curious. Their eyes were on the map, trying to locate the blood drop. Eileen also looked.

“Is it even on the map?” Delaney spoke up, squinting her dark blue eyes. “I can’t see it.”

“The map is large. Just keep looking,” Aaliyah replied, though Eileen’s eyes caught the sweat appearing on her forehead. She was nervous and tired. Neither of them had an _amazing_ night's sleep after all.

Eileen’s eyes watered. What if Delaney was right and the blood dropped somewhere _off_ the map? What if the child they were looking for wasn’t even in New England? What if that woman hid the child far away, like to Australia, for example? What would it mean for them?

Eileen had so many questions, but she didn’t dare to voice them.

Fallon squeaked out of nowhere. “I got it!” she shouted and pointed toward the state of Massachusetts. “The child’s in Salem.” Everyone followed Fallon’s finger. They had to get closer to see the blood drop, but Fallon was right. The child was indeed in Salem. What an astounding place to hide a _witch_.

Brittany let out a deep breath. “That’s good, isn’t it?”

“It’s too far away,” Eileen opposed. “How are we supposed to find the child and protect it when it’s hidden in… _Salem_.”

“But if it’s in _Salem_ ,” Brittany started, “maybe it doesn’t need protection. As far as we know, The Order has power _only_ here, in Montaque.”

“How can you be so sure that’s true? What if-“

“El!” Aaliyah yelled, interrupting Eileen’s anxious ranting. “Britt’s right. The child is safe there.”

“It would’ve been better if it were out of New England,” Fallon muttered. “But Salem will do, too.”

Eileen shut up after that. She couldn’t go against her older sister and if they believed that the child would be safe and out of Order’s reach in Salem, then so be it. Aaliyah voiced out her conclusion and her decision regarding their seventh sibling: they won’t speak a word about it ever again, they will simply pretend that _no_ seventh Yles child exists. It was going to be _easy_. Now, they finally have time for grieving and more important things to organize (like the funeral).

─

It was roughly eleven in the afternoon, the moon was shining brightly awaiting tomorrow’s full moon. Soon, it will be twenty-four hours since Adam Yles’ death. But the tiring and exhausting day didn’t end for Eileen. She woke up from her short sleep to which she fell asleep almost the moment her head connected with her rose-scented pillow. She woke up panting, her head was spinning and nothing in her room made sense. Nothing in her _dream_ made sense. It wasn’t a nightmare – no, no, Eileen doesn’t have nightmares. This was something more powerful, more important, more _magical_. She had to get her sisters. She had to tell them the truth. She had to tell them about her dream.

Not caring about the hour, Eileen rushed out of her bedroom. She once again found herself standing in the long hallway, but unlike Claire, she wasn’t going to scream her lungs out.

She went door by door and knocked as loud as possible. Three times only. It was a code – two quick knocks, silence for five seconds, and then another knock. She did it five times and then waited for her sister to come out. She was standing in the hallway, shaking a bit. It was a cold summer night and for some reason, the heating inside the mansion just wasn’t working as it should be.

Eileen’s sisters crawled out of their bedroom one by one with sleepy expressions on their faces. Delaney was the last one to enter the hallway – it was a miracle, that she even stayed the night at the mansion, but considering that their father died, no one wanted to leave.

“What is this ruckus for, El?” Aaliyah demanded to know.

Eileen went to hug her eldest sister. “I had a _dream_ ,” she said only. It was enough for the rest to start murmuring under their breaths.

“ _That_ dream?” Aaliyah asked worryingly. When Eileen nodded, she gestured for them to follow her.

They were going back to the dining room – the greatest room for discussion. When they were finally seated (Aaliyah at the front with Eileen, Fallon, and Brittany on her left, and Delaney with Claire on her right), it was time for Eileen to speak up. “As you know, my dreams are sometimes riddles, sometimes clear, sometimes complete nonsense, but at least ninety-nine percent of my dreams come true.” Eileen didn’t know how to start. She was basically rambling by now. “And I know that we agreed to never speak of that child again, but…” Eileen breathed twice. “Our _sister_ is moving to Montaque.”

That simple sentence shook the Yles sisters. That simple sentence held such _power_.

“Sister?”

“Moving here?”

“What?”

“Are you sure?”

Aaliyah raised her hand and silenced them. “Please, El. Elaborate.”

Eileen nodded. “So, from what I’ve seen, our sister, Diana, is currently moving here with her older sister. I do not know why exactly.”

Delaney scoffed. “Diana? I already hold the letter.” Aaliyah only glared at her.

“It goes against everything we vowed,” Fallon protested. “If she’s going to live here… How are we going to protect her from The Order?” She had a point. They were counting on the fact that their sibling was living in Salem, far away from The Order.

“What now?” Claire’s hazel eyes changed, they were dark green and no shine could be found there. “Are we going to Salem to beg her to never step a foot inside Montaque?”

Aaliyah shook her head. “No. We should wait for her.”

“Wait for her?” Brittany yelled and raised from her seat next to Fallon, startling the younger girl. “They will find her and kill her.”

“Not if we find her first.” Aaliyah’s topaz blue eyes were wicked. Eileen nearly didn’t recognize her. “We’ll prevent her to use magic here. She will have to understand. We’ll do anything to protect her from The Order. Understood?” Everyone nodded. It was done. They have an important task before them.

“Let’s call her Genevieve or something.”

“I like Gracelyn better.”


End file.
